Letter: We can solve the problems facing country

Talk about it

I, like most North Dakotans, am concerned about the direction our country is headed.

The problems we face were created by Democrats and Republicans. The banking regulations that caused the economic mess were implemented by Clinton-era Democrats and not fixed by Bush-era Republicans. Our national debt of $10 trillion is the result of both parties’ past lack of fiscal discipline. And the massive deficits and radical agenda forwarded by the Obama administration and Democrat Congress further threaten the future quality of life for us and our children.

But we can solve the challenges our country faces and put America back on track again.

Our first step must be to put people to work again. Businesses cannot begin to make sufficient investments in job creating infrastructure and innovation until Washington stops its erratic policy making. While Washington has spent months and months debating issues without results, our country has lost millions of jobs.

We have to implement policies that will allow the private sector, especially small business, to grow and create the jobs our country needs to prosper and thrive.

Tax reductions, tax credits and sound fiscal policy (not running up trillion-dollar deficits) will allow us to put more money in the hands of working families and truly stimulate our economy.

We need an energy policy that keeps costs low and helps make American goods and services more competitive in a global marketplace. In fact, a robust energy policy focusing on developing all possible domestic energy resources could create millions of jobs right here in the U.S. and cut our trade deficit in half.

We need health care reform that really reduces costs without creating a huge government bureaucracy and trillions of dollars in new taxes. What we really need is lawsuit reform, interstate compacts to increase competition, fair prescription drug prices and tax credits to help people in need afford insurance.

At the same time, we have to hold the line on spending and cut where we can. Otherwise, we would face exploding deficits that would further erode our nation’s precarious financial position. We can grow our way out of our current cycle of debt and deficits with a robust economy and spending restraint.

We know it can be done, because we have done it in North Dakota. A little common sense, sound fiscal management and focus on jobs is just the medicine that this country needs.

Rick Berg, Fargo, candidate for Congress

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